Peterson won't play in Vikings' preseason games

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August 20, 2012 - 10:43 PM

Adrian Peterson’s hopes of seeing at least some action in a preseason game have been dashed. The Vikings have decided to take the safe route with their star running back, opting to hold him out of their final two preseason contests.

The Vikings’ next game comes Friday at Mall of America Field against the Chargers. They’ll close the preseason Aug. 30 at Houston.

According to an NFL source, Peterson will not see work in either of those games. But his big picture goal of being on the field for the regular season opener Sept. 9 against Jacksonville remains very realistic.

Peterson tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee last Christmas Eve and had surgery six days later. He has attacked his rehabilitation with an unrelenting work ethic and a positive attitude and has said since January that he was set on being back in action when the 2012 regular season begins.

Peterson was taken off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Aug. 12 and has now gone through four practices in full pads. But Peterson has had a limited workload and hasn’t been exposed to contact yet. Last week, he had expressed his wishes of playing in the preseason in order to get back in the flow of things.

“I wouldn't mind getting in for a couple of series just to test it out and see how I do,” Peterson said after his first padded practice last Tuesday. “Personally, to be honest with you, I feel like I'm fine and I'll be good to go no matter what. But it would be good to get some game action.”

As recently as Monday afternoon, head coach Leslie Frazier said the Vikings were going day-to-day in monitoring Peterson’s progress and were still undecided on his availability for the Chargers game.

"We gave him more reps," Frazier said. "And we'll see how he feels tomorrow. We threw a lot of things at him today and we'll see what he says tomorrow, how he feels."